


Inch of Life

by Fighting4Fandoms



Category: The Lorax (2012)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Dark Lorax, Gen, Once-ler Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 12:30:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18717124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting4Fandoms/pseuds/Fighting4Fandoms
Summary: The Lorax thinks that the Once-ler broke his promise about the trees, so he decides that it's time for the Once-ler's comeuppance.





	Inch of Life

The Lorax started his day like any other, walking through the wood looking at the trees, gazing at the scenery around him but there was something about the wood today, something different. A sense pooled at the bottom of his stomach as he saw stumps scattering the wood. He broke into a run and saw hundreds of stumps. He almost collapsed when he saw a familiar axe sitting by one. He picked it up and something snapped inside of him... something dark. 

This was the Once-ler's axe. 

Hmm. That prick broke his promise. He warned him  what would happen. The Lorax grinned manically, finally the arrogant human would have his punishment. He sighed and he waited. He would find that human and show him what he needs. 

*

The Once-ler walked through the wood on that day, he needed the fresh air. Since promising not to cut down any trees he needed to find other ways to quickly get the materials without breaking his promise. It was a slow process but a promise was a promise. 

He basked in the morning light. The fresh air was a welcoming treat. 

Walking through the woods, he was thrown off. He began to see tree stumps around the floor. He gulped. He hadn't done this. His family might have. No, he shook his head, they wouldn't just ignore what he told them... then again... they probably did. He was about to turn and walk away, confront his mother but was stopped by an angry looking Lorax standing in his way, holding his axe. How did he get that? 

"Hello. Beanpole." He said darkly. 

The Once-ler gulped, he was scared. The Lorax's eyes were dark, and he was angry. 

"So, care to tell me where these came from?" He asked, gesturing to the stumps.

"I- I don't know." 

SLAP. 

The Lorax slapped the Once-ler, causing him to snap his head to the side. 

"You don't know? You don't know?!" The Lorax held his hands up in the air, the wind began to blow around them. "Do not lie to me. I told you- No. I warned you what would happen if you broke your promise." 

The Once-ler put his hands around his throat, finding it hard to breathe. 

"Now. You will have the force of nature around you." 

The Once-ler's eyes widened as the Lorax snapped his fingers. From every corner came the creatures of the forest but not their happy selves. They were much larger, more fierce and more terrifying. The Once-ler gulped. With another snap, the creatures came bolting at the Once-ler. The Lorax used his powers to keep the Once-ler still. 

The bears scratched him and began to chew on his legs. The birds were scratching at his face and every part, every inch of his skin. The Once-ler fell back onto the hard ground, clenching his eyes shut, tears spilling down his face. He screamed as one of the bears took a chunk from his leg, blood spilling everywhere. He howled as one of the birds scratched his eye, causing it to bleed and go blind. The Once-ler tried to protect himself but he couldn't move. The Lorax was keeping him immobile. 

The Lorax watched the scene from the front, grinning. This would teach his lies. 

A few minutes passed before the Lorax sent the creatures away. He looked at the scene before him with no emotion. The Once-ler deserved this. He stood before the Once-ler. The Once-ler watched in fear with his good eye, his vision going red. He hoped the torture was over... but he was mistaken. 

The Lorax punched his face over and over and over again until there was no white skin left. When he was done, the Lorax dragged the motionless body over to one of the stumps. He grabbed the axe and held one of the Once-ler's hands out. 

"Do you know what happens to thieves? You should. You are a thief after all." The Lorax lifted the axe and with a mighty swing cut the Once-ler's hands off. The Once-ler screamed and cried out as his hands were removed from his body, blood spilling everywhere. There was no green grass anymore... just red. 

The Lorax was not done yet though, he grabbed the Once-ler's head and smashed it into the stump; once, twice, thrice... more than once over. He didn't hear the crack through he rage. The Once-ler's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his eyelids fluttered close, the pain darkened over him. He had a last pained groan and blacked out. 

When the Lorax was finally done, he threw the Once-ler's body to the ground, spitting on it for good measure. 

"That'll teach you for killing my trees."  

The Lorax left the Once-ler's body there and walked away, leaving the bloodied scene behind him. 

*

The Once-ler's body laid there, cold and alone. He finally opened his eyes again and groaned, he was so cold. He saw blood everywhere. He thought that it was some nightmare but it wasn't. 

He was leaving soon. 

He tried turning himself over, leant against the dormant stump, coughing blood as he did so. He couldn't feel his legs, and his hands were gone. He was just a bloodied mess. He felt tears trail down his cheeks, staining the ground beneath him. He had no energy to cover his mouth as he coughed, blood dribbling down his cheek. 

From the bushes, he heard rustling. He whimpered, not wanting another assault but instead it was a little bear cub. The Once-ler smiled sadly as the little cub whimpered. It was trying to look for something. Weakly, the Once-ler gestured for it to come over which it did. The little cub bounded over and snuggled into the Once-ler. The bear cub softly whimpered at the sight of the Once-ler, he shrugged it off. 

The last thing that the Once-ler saw before closing his eyes for the last time was a bright light. He smiled, he was free. 

*

The Lorax walked back through the forest with a sense of triumph of his face. He was rid of the Once-ler now he just needed to get his family out of the way. 

As he walked back to their camp a couple of creatures came running at him, trying to pull at him. He shoved them away, "I need to do this, then I'll help you." 

"You know, I know that he said not to cut them down but this is so much quicker!" A perky voice sounded through the bushes next to the camp. 

The Lorax stepped forward and listened. 

"Yeah Mom! You're right. Why did we listen to him? Just picking them takes way too long." 

"You know, Chet, you're replacing him as my favourite. He hasn't even bothered showing up 'don't cut 'em down ma' what an idiot." 

The Lorax's eye widened. The Once-ler hadn't cut them down? He was telling them not to? What? Oh God, a realization dawned on him. He rushed away from the bushes and ran back through the wood, back to the graveyard of trees. 

 

He shuddered as he walked back, the scent of blood was thick. The Lorax gagged at the smell. He hoped that the Once-ler was okay, he was too harsh, too rough on him but he hadn't hurt him to bad, right? 

As he neared closer to where the last saw the Once-ler, her's eyes widened and his heart dropped inside of him. He raised his hands to his mouth and tears welled up in his eyes. Guilt filling him up. 

He approached the Once-ler and grabbed his body, pulling him to his chest. He put his chest over the Once-ler's chest and closed his eyes as he heard no heart beat. 

He had killed him. 

 

The Lorax's tears spilled out of his eyes, he cried harder with each passing day. He cried because the Once-ler could not.... and he would have to live with that for the rest of his existence. 


End file.
